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Summary: Objective: We investigated the association of anthropometric neonatal data (birth length and birth weight) and breastfeeding practices (exclusive and any breastfeeding) with hippocampal functional connectivity and its academic implication in children with overweight/obesity. Methods: Ninety six children with overweight/obesity aged 8–11 years (10.01 ± 1.14), from the ActiveBrains project were included in this cross‐sectional study. Anthropometric neonatal data were collected from birth records, whereas breastfeeding practices were reported by parents. A 3.0 Tesla Siemens Magnetom Tim Trio system was used to acquire T1‐weighted and resting‐state functional magnetic resonance images. Academic performance was assessed by the Woodcock‐Muñoz standardized test. Hippocampal seed‐based methods with post‐hoc regression analyses were performed. Analyses were considered significant when surpassing Family‐Wise Error corrections. Results: Birth weight showed a positive association with the connectivity between the hippocampus and the pre‐ and postcentral gyri, and the cerebellum. In addition, breastfeeding was negatively associated with the connectivity between the hippocampus and the primary motor cortex and the angular gyrus. Any breastfeeding, in turn, showed a positive association with the connectivity between the hippocampus and the middle temporal gyrus. None of the connectivity outcomes related to early life factors was coupled with better academic abilities (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that birth weight at birth and breastfeeding are associated with hippocampal connectivity in children with overweight/obesity. Despite this, how the results relate to academic performance remains a matter of speculation. Our findings suggest that clinicians should recognize the importance early life factors for potentially avoiding consequences on offspring's brain development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Children with overweight/obesity have poorer sleep and smaller gray matter volume (GMV) than normal‐weight children. No studies have investigated the associations of objectively‐assessed sleep and GMV in children with overweight/obesity, or their implications for academic and cognitive outcomes. Objectives: To explore the associations of sleep behaviors with GMV in the whole brain and particularly the hippocampus as a region of interest independent of sedentary time (SED) and physical activity; and to assess whether GMV in the associated regions was related to academic achievement, executive function and intelligence quotient (IQ). Methods: Ninety‐six children with overweight/obesity (10 ± 1 year) were included. Sleep behaviors were assessed with accelerometers. GMV was acquired by magnetic resonance imaging. Academic achievement, executive function and IQ were assessed with separate tests. Analyses were adjusted for sex, peak height velocity and parent education as well as SED and physical activity. Results: Earlier wake time, less time in bed, wakening after sleep onset (WASO) and WASO occurrences were associated with higher GMV in eight cortical brain regions (k:56‐448, P's <.001). Longer total sleep time, higher sleep efficiency and less WASO time were associated with higher GMV in the right hippocampus (β:0.187‐0.220, P's <.05). The inferior temporal, fusiform, supramarginal, and postcentral gyri, the superior parietal cortex, precuneus and hippocampus associated with academic achievement and/or IQ. Associations remained after adjustments for SED and physical activity. Conclusions: Sleep behaviors are associated with GMV in multiple cortical regions including the right hippocampus in children with overweight/obesity, which in turn, were associated with academic achievement and IQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]